1. Field of the Invention
This invention most generally relates to a cleaning tool which is useful for washing and drying objects such as flat surfaces. More particularly it relates to a cleaning tool for wiping, washing or cleaning of objects such as floors and windows. Even more particularly the invention relates to a cleaning tool which can be used to wipe and subsequently sweep or squeegee the flat surface without any substantial modification of the tool. Yet still more particularly the invention relates to the cleaning tool design such that wiping and squeegeeing may be accomplished simply by changing the angle of the handle of the tool by the user thereof.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Cleaning tools used in the cleaning, wiping or washing of smooth surfaces generally incorporate an absorbing element such as a sponge or absorbent cloth which absorb a cleaning liquid. The wetted or dampened sponge of the tool is then used to moisten and wipe the surface thereby cleaning it. In order to obtain a clear, reflective surface, the surface, after it is moistened and wiped, must then however, be dried. Drying is generally done by the surface being swept or squeegeed thus expelling the moisture or by using an appropriate element which would absorb the moisture on the flat surface.
Tools for moistening the object/surface to be wiped generally use a sponge which is steeped or dipped into the cleaning liquid, and the cleaning liquid, which can also be pure water, is distributed or spread over the object with the aid of the sponge.
The object can then be rubbed dry with a scraping element which absorbs the moisture, such as a leather cloth, or can be dried with the aid of a scraping tool which scraping tool has incorporated thereon a scraping element such as a squeegee which will expel the moisture. Particularly for windows and smooth surfaces the element which expels the moisture is well known and are generally identified as a squeegee. A squeegee is basically a rubber device which may be urged against the surface and when dragged over the surface the lip or the surface contacting edge of the squeegee forces the moisture to the edge of the surface where it can then drip therefrom.
Cleaning tools are known which are suitable both for moistening and for sweeping an object to be cleaned. These cleaning tools generally use a sponge or similar element for moistening purposes and can be dismantled and refitted replacing the sponge with a rubber lip or similar element i.e., a squeegee. Subsequent to moistening and after refitting the tool with a squeegee, the object moistening can then be swept i.e., squeegeed thereby removing the moisture from the object such as a pane of glass or window.
It would be desirable and advantageous to provide a universally usable cleaning tool with which objects such as floors and windows and especially smooth surfaces, can be easily wiped clean. It would also be most desirable to have such a cleaning tool which would both moisten and dry the surface without refitting the tool for each task. It would also be desirable if such a cleaning tool could, without the need to refit the tool, both squeegee and collect or absorb the moisture being swept-off or squeegeed thus not permitting such moisture to drip onto another surface. The cleaning tool herein described and defined achieves these desirable objective.